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Poetry Friday

I’m a Latin teacher, so it’s only fitting that I post Latin poems. From now on, you can expect from me for poetry Friday a Latin poem, and my English translation/adaptation of it. All Latin texts will come from The Latin Library. We’ll start with Catullus.

I. to Cornelius

To whom am I giving this clever little
new book just polished with dry pumice?
To you, Cornelius: for you were accustomed
to consider my trifles to be something
already then, when you dared to explain
the whole history of the Italians in your three
books, Jupiter, books learned and laborious!
Therefore have you whatever of this book,
for what it’s worth; o patron virgin, may it
remain enduring for more than one age.